Unleashing the power of nanotechnology
Quanto Nano Glossary
Adsorption
The process by which atoms, ions, or molecules bind to a surface.
Aggregation
The clumping together of nanoparticles, often leading to a change in properties such as reactivity and solubility.
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
A high-resolution scanning probe microscopy that provides a 3D profile of a surface at the nanoscale.
Bottom-Up Approach
A method used in nanotechnology to build larger structures via chemical reactions from smaller components, typically atoms and molecules.
Buckyballs (Fullerenes)
Molecules of carbon atoms in the shape of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, or tube.
Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs)
Cylindrical molecules consisting of a hexagonal arrangement of carbon atoms. They are recognized for their unique mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties.
Dendrimers
Highly branched, star-shaped macromolecules with nanometer-scale dimensions.
Electron Microscopy
A type of microscopy that uses a beam of electrons to create an image of the specimen.
Functionalization
The process of adding functional groups to a nanoparticle to alter its properties or capabilities.
Graphene
A single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice.
Liposomes
Spherical vesicles having at least one lipid bilayer, often used as a vehicle for administration of nutrients and pharmaceutical drugs.
Microfluidics
The science of manipulating and controlling fluids, usually in the range of microliters to picolitres, in networks of channels with dimensions from tens to hundreds of micrometers.
Nano-engineering
The practice of engineering on the nanoscale, especially the production and application of nanomaterials.
Nanocomposites
Composites in which at least one of the phases shows dimensions in the nanometer range.
Nanofabrication
The design and manufacture of devices with dimensions measured in nanometers.
Nanolithography
A branch of nanotechnology concerned with the study and application of fabricating nanometer-scale structures.
Nanomaterials
Materials that have structured components with at least one dimension less than 100 nanometers.
Nanoparticle
A particle of matter that is between 1 and 100 nanometers in size.
Nanophotonics or Nano-optics
The study of the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, and of the interaction of nanometer-scale objects with light.
Nanoporous Materials
Materials with pores that have a diameter between 1 and 100 nanometers.
Nanoscale
A scale of size that measures between 1 and 100 nanometers.
Nanotechnology
The science, engineering, and application of materials that are approximately 1 to 100 nanometers in size.
Quantum Dots
Tiny particles or man-made nanoscale crystals that can transport electrons
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
A type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning the surface with a focused beam of electrons.
Self-Assembly
The autonomous organization of components into patterns or structures without human intervention.
Surface Area to Volume Ratio
This ratio is increased in nanoparticles due to their small size, giving them unique properties, such as increased reactivity.
Top-Down Approach
A method in nanotechnology where larger entities are reduced into smaller pieces, down to the nanos-scale.
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
An imaging technique in which a beam of electrons is transmitted through a specimen to form a high-resolution image.
Tunable properties
The ability to alter the properties of a material, often nanoparticles, by changing aspects such as their size, shape, or composition.
Zeta Potential
A key indicator of the stability of colloidal dispersions. The magnitude of the zeta potential indicates the degree of electrostatic repulsion between adjacent, similarly charged particles in a dispersion.
